textproduct: Quad Cities

KEY MESSAGES

- A clipper is forecast to bring light snow to the area late this afternoon into tonight. Snowfall amounts between are 0.5 and 1.0 inches are possible.

- Cold with periods of snow showers are possible through at least Saturday. Gusty winds are also possible with the snow showers Friday afternoon into Friday night.

- The cold and active clipper pattern is forecast to continue through next week.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/

Issued at 155 AM CST Thu Jan 15 2026

High pressure is forecast to move across the area this morning with winds turning to the south from west to east after 15 UTC (9 AM CST). Cloud cover will slowly increase during the afternoon as the next clipper and vort max moves toward the area for tonight. High temperatures today will range from the mid 20s across far northwest Illinois to the lower 30 across far southeast Iowa and far northwest Illinois.

Model soundings saturate quickly as lift spreads into the area late this afternoon into this evening with the best lift across the area during the evening hours. Model soundings are all below freezing this evening into Friday morning with a small dendritic growth zone so snowflake production will not be optimal. Soundings do suggestion that will be a loss of ice crystals aloft for an hour or too which may result in a brief period of freezing drizzle before quickly returning to all snow. Overall snowfall will be light with forecast snowfall amounts between a half an inch and one inch. Model soundings also show the potential for gusty winds during the evening with gusts up to 25 MPH. Low temperatures on Friday morning will be in the mid to upper 20s.

LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/

Issued at 155 AM CST Thu Jan 15 2026

There were few changes to the forecast from the previous issuance so included the previous long term discussion below with a couple of edits.

Friday...The latest vort max ensembles suggest a nice wing off the developing western Great Lakes upper low will look to sweep across the area Friday into Friday night. Looking at fcst soundings, for the day and evening could be interesting as they develop steep low to mid level vertical profiles by afternoon. This instability could make for some feisty snow showers again with wind gusts to at least 40 MPH and localized additional snow acumm swaths into early evening. There may be support for some squall-like showers if current parameters are correct. Also the deep mixing up over H85 MB will make the most of high temp potential on Friday with highs well above normal in the mid to upper 30s. But then a late day flow/fetch change to the northwest and north will cold advect for a large diurnal chill down by Sat morning. A quick look at qpf and snow amount guidance this morning shows that snow accumulations of less than a half an inch are possible.

Saturday through Tuesday...The cold core upper low will set the stage for a below normal cold Saturday and Sunday with occasional snow showers and flurries, especially Saturday. Sunday temps may be helped on the milder side by a passing clipper to the north and northeast. If this system verifies, we may have some snow showers late in the day into Sunday night in the following cold push in the wake of this system. Cold re-enforcng air flowing down across the region behind this system for Monday with below normal values again Long range thermal profiles suggest that if we have any snow cover for Monday night, there may be some below zero temps occurring especially north. Additionally, wind chill values in the single digits and teens below zero are possible especially on Sunday night and Monday night. The active clipper pattern then looks to extend for most of the rest of next week.

AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z FRIDAY/

Issued at 439 AM CST Thu Jan 15 2026

High pressure continues to slowly drift eastward across the area this morning. There are VFR conditions at all TAF sites to start. As high pressure shifts to the east, winds will turn to the south with speeds of 5 to 10 knots. A fast moving clipper will move across the area between 00 and 06 UTC Friday and bring light snow to the area. Continued to use PROB30s at all TAF sites during this period with MVFR ceilings and visibilities. A front is forecast to move across the area between 6 and 12 UTC Friday and turn winds to the west with speeds around 10 knots.

DVN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

IA...None. IL...None. MO...None.